Virtual Reality Applications in Enhancing Human Lives

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Electronic Multimedia".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 1619

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Instituto de Diseño y Fabricación, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Interests: mixed reality; user experience; museums; culture; tourism; art; digital strategies; augmented reality; virtual reality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The advancements in virtual reality (VR) are opening new avenues for enhancing human experiences across diverse aspects of life. By immersing users in simulated environments, VR technology is not only transforming entertainment and gaming but also revolutionizing fields such as cultural industry, education, healthcare, training, and social interaction. The ability of VR to create realistic, interactive, and immersive experiences holds immense potential for improving the quality of human lives in ways previously unimaginable.

In this Special Issue, titled "Virtual Reality Applications in Enhancing Human Lives", we aim to explore the innovative ways that VR is being applied to improve various facets of daily life. From therapeutic applications in health to immersive learning environments in culture and education, VR is poised to make a significant impact. This Special Issue will delve into the latest research, methodologies, and applications of VR that are pushing the boundaries of how we perceive and interact with our world.

We invite contributions that investigate the cutting-edge applications of VR and its transformative effects. Whether it considers the use of VR in medical or cultural contexts, its role in creating engaging educational content, or its ability to facilitate remote collaboration and social interaction, we are interested in research that showcases the diverse potential of VR technology.

Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • VR applications in culture industries, including museums, cinema, and videogames.
  • VR applications in healthcare, including therapy, rehabilitation, and medical training.
  • Immersive educational environments and VR-based learning tools.
  • Enhancing social interaction and remote collaboration through VR and virtual twins.
  • VR in professional training and skill development.
  • The impact of VR on mental health and well-being.
  • Technological advancements and innovations in VR hardware and software.
  • Case studies and real-world applications of VR improving human experiences.
  • Challenges and future directions in the application of VR technology.

We look forward to your contributions, which will help to broaden the understanding and stimulate further advancements in the application of VR to enhance human lives. Your research can pave the way for new, innovative solutions that leverage VR to create meaningful, positive changes in various domains.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need further information regarding your submission.

Prof. Dr. Ana Martí-Testón
Prof. Dr. Juan Ernesto Solanes Galbis
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • virtual reality (VR)
  • immersive technology
  • VR in immersive learning and education
  • cultural industries
  • VR in museums
  • VR in cinema
  • VR in healthcare
  • medical training with VR
  • remote collaboration with VR
  • VR social interaction
  • VR hardware innovations
  • VR software development
  • challenges in VR technology

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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20 pages, 85541 KiB  
Article
Fostering Inclusion: A Virtual Reality Experience to Raise Awareness of Dyslexia-Related Barriers in University Settings
by José Manuel Alcalde-Llergo, Pilar Aparicio-Martínez, Andrea Zingoni, Sara Pinzi and Enrique Yeguas-Bolívar
Electronics 2025, 14(5), 829; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14050829 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 565
Abstract
This work introduces the design, implementation, and validation of a virtual reality (VR) experience aimed at promoting the inclusion of individuals with dyslexia in university settings. Unlike traditional awareness methods, this immersive approach offers a novel way to foster empathy by allowing participants [...] Read more.
This work introduces the design, implementation, and validation of a virtual reality (VR) experience aimed at promoting the inclusion of individuals with dyslexia in university settings. Unlike traditional awareness methods, this immersive approach offers a novel way to foster empathy by allowing participants to experience firsthand the challenges faced by students with dyslexia. Specifically, the experience raises awareness by exposing non-dyslexic individuals to the difficulties commonly encountered by dyslexic students. In the virtual environment, participants explore a virtual campus with multiple buildings, navigating between them while completing tasks and simultaneously encountering barriers that simulate some of the challenges faced by individuals with dyslexia. These barriers include reading signs with shifting letters, following directional arrows that may point incorrectly, and dealing with a lack of assistance. The campus is a comprehensive model featuring both indoor and outdoor spaces and supporting various modes of locomotion. To validate the experience, more than 30 non-dyslexic participants from the university environment, mainly professors and students, evaluated it through ad hoc satisfaction surveys. The results indicated heightened awareness of the barriers encountered by students with dyslexia, with participants deeming the experience a valuable tool for increasing visibility and fostering understanding of dyslexic students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality Applications in Enhancing Human Lives)
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16 pages, 2665 KiB  
Article
Development of New Generation Portable Camera-Aided Surgical Simulator for Cognitive Training in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
by Yucheng Li, Victoria Nelson, Cuong T. Nguyen, Irene Suh, Suvranu De, Ka-Chun Siu and Carl Nelson
Electronics 2025, 14(4), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14040793 - 18 Feb 2025
Viewed by 453
Abstract
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the standard procedure for gallbladder removal, but improper identification of anatomical structures can lead to biliary duct injury (BDI). The critical view of safety (CVS) is a standardized technique designed to mitigate this risk. However, existing surgical training systems [...] Read more.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the standard procedure for gallbladder removal, but improper identification of anatomical structures can lead to biliary duct injury (BDI). The critical view of safety (CVS) is a standardized technique designed to mitigate this risk. However, existing surgical training systems primarily emphasize haptic feedback and physical skill development, making them expensive and less accessible. This paper presents the next-generation Portable Camera-Aided Surgical Simulator (PortCAS), a cost-effective, portable, vision-based surgical training simulator designed to enhance cognitive skill acquisition in LC. The system consists of an enclosed physical module equipped with a vision system, a single-board computer for real-time instrument tracking, and a virtual simulation interface that runs on a user-provided computer. Unlike traditional simulators, PortCAS prioritizes cognitive training over force-based interactions, eliminating the need for costly haptic components. The system was evaluated through user studies assessing accuracy, usability, and training effectiveness. Results demonstrate that PortCAS provides a sufficiently accurate tracking performance for training surgical skills such as CVS, offering a scalable and accessible solution for surgical education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality Applications in Enhancing Human Lives)
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